


Two Batmen Walk Into A Cave

by TeraKaren



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Bat Family, Gen, Preboot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-09
Updated: 2016-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-25 16:35:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6202774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeraKaren/pseuds/TeraKaren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He knew that Bruce wouldn't approve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two Batmen Walk Into A Cave

**Author's Note:**

> Based off this headcanon from [Incogneat-oh](http://incogneat-oh.tumblr.com/post/21275422230/when-bruce-came-back-dick-in-an-effort-to-show) on Tumblr: "⚡ When Bruce came back, Dick (in an effort to show him how grown up he is, and how suitable for Batman), went in for a handshake rather than a hug. Bruce, though, dragged him in for a giant bear-hug that made him feel like a kid again, and he ended up crying and clinging for a bit."
> 
> Takes place after the _Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne_ arc.

He knew that Bruce wouldn’t approve. In the last years of his life (though that's inaccurate now since he is alive) Bruce was tortured by his life as Batman. Night after night he’d martyr himself, giving everything; his health, his mind, his happiness; for The Mission. He would sooner chase away his protégés then allow them to become him. The Burden of the Bat was his alone.

But he was dead and Batman could never be for the sake of Gothem, the city they loved because he had loved it. So while Tim became the heir to Bruce Wayne, Dick became the heir to Batman and true heir apparent of the family. He hadn’t done the best he could have as head of the family, and even as Batman he never quite measured up to the original. He has a new appreciation for all that Bruce had done after walking a mile in his proverbial and non-proverbial shoes.

And now Bruce was back and staring at him with a sort of startled look. They were in the Bat Cave, both of them wearing the uniform that marked them as Batman. For the past week Dick had been making the cave operational again with help from Tim and Babs, knowing that Bruce would want to get back to work as soon as he was well. Today he was only changing a flickering light that had been bothering him for days before going out for patrol. It was when he was leaving that Bruce had walked in with cape and cowl in hand, stopping when he saw Dick.

“You’re parading around in his skin.”*

Suddenly Superman’s word’s flew like a fly inside his head. Feeling a rare embarrassment, Dick pulled back his cowl and ran a hand through his hair to delay having to look at the second father in his life. He had seen Bruce before this several times as he recovered in his bed. A couple of times he had even fallen asleep in the chair next to his bed and woken up with his head resting next to the unconscious man with a blanket draped over his shoulders and the smell of fresh coffee waking up his muddled mind. But it wasn’t a bed ridden Bruce that Dick was dreading to face. For Dick it was always Batman.

Because Dick had been playing Batman and in the face of the original he felt like caricature of the real thing. And he wouldn’t approve.

Everything in him wanted to be near this man and marvel in the miracle of his father coming back to him. He desperately wanted to hear his voice, wanted to feel his hand on his shoulder in support, wanted to look him in the eye and show him that he had become a man Bruce could be proud of.

It was for this reason that he met Bruce’s gaze and held it as he walked toward him, his expression Bat neutral and his stride projecting confidence that he didn’t actually feel. He stopped a foot away from Bruce. Being so close to the man, a nervous smile slipped though his facade, but he corrected it and glared in frustration, chiding himself for slipping. Bruce’s startled look had turned into a blank, calculating one, and Dick would measure up. He squared up his shoulders and stuck out his right hand.

“I…Wel-ahem-welcome back, Bruce.”

He didn’t expect the crooked smile that spread across his face at being able to address the man again, but there it was. The anticipation of Bruce gripping his hand and responding to him was just too much. His hand felt like a magnet held close to a fridge. It felt too good to be true, surreal, but it was reality and he was just a few inches away from being in a waking dream.

Bruce looked at the offered hand for a second before shaking his head and gripping Dick’s wrist, much to Dick’s surprise. He yanked the younger Batman forward and wrapped his arms around him.

“I’m glad to be back, Dick. You look well.”

Dick’s surprise stuck like Jell-O on a wall then melted down to something gooey and base, and he hugged the larger man back in earnest, tears welling up and falling.

Because he was back. All the times he had begged for his parents to come back: hearing his mother’s voice calling him from the main tent when he visited Haley’s, flying through Gotham and almost feeling his father guiding his fingers onto the trapeze, seeing a shadow move out of the corner of his eye and half believing that it was Batman hiding away, and not dead. dead. dead. For once his prayer was answered and he felt small under this miracle. How like Bruce to make the impossible possible.

His face pressed against Bruce’s shoulder and he took in the familiar scent of slightly metallic fabric and shaving cream. He felt heavy fabric cover his shoulder and wasn’t quite coherent enough to remember that Bruce had been holding his cape when he came in. The only thing his mind comprehended was warm familiarity of being a child in bright Robin colors, climbing over this giant man and doing summersaults over him, shyly hiding beneath his cape when first meeting the Justice League, being shielded by his crime fighting partner from an attack he didn’t see.

Dick felt safe again, like he hadn’t in a long time.

His grip never slackened, even after Bruce loosened his grip with one arm resting around his adopted son’s shoulders and the other positioned so that his hand rested on top of Dick’s head. Eventually Bruce put both hands on Dick’s shoulders and gently pushed him away, which was probably for the best. Dick didn’t know if he could have let go without the push.

Bruce looked amused as he stared at Dick’s now wrecked appearance. He chuckled softly, smoothed down the front of Dick’s hair, and handed him a nearby towel.

“You’re hair hasn’t been this short in years,” Bruce said just as the awkwardness was about to set in.

“Yeah,” Dick said a little mournfully of his long-haired Nightwing days, “But getting hair into this cowl is not easy. I honestly don’t know how Tim does it.”

Bruce went Batman blank for a moment and took a further step back to look Dick up and down fully. He glared at Dick.

“We are going to talk about this,” Bruce said knowing that Dick understood what he meant, “but not right now.”

Dick looked at him curiously.

“We should head out before Alfred starts taking photos,” Bruce said gesturing to the butler standing on the other level.

“Wouldn’t dream of it Sir. Besides, I believe that photography is Master Timothy’s area of expertise,” the approaching Butler deadpanned.

“Yes, but you are not going to be smuggling any of Tim’s photos out of this cave. You got that Tim?” Bruce said looking up at the mechanical T-Rex.

“Loud and clear B,” Red Robin flipped out of the mechanical dinosaur’s mouth and onto the cave floor, camera held up in surrender. He handed it over to Bruce and looked over at Alfred.

“I tried.”

“It was a valiant effort Master Timothy.”

Dick smiled wide at their antics and shook his head. Having the four of them here, it was like old times. But things were different now, and Damien was waiting for him to get back to the Bat Bunker for patrol.

“I need to go.”

Everyone turned to Dick who shrugged and lifted up his cowl in response.

“Duty calls,” he said with an apologetic smirk. He knew that Bruce would want to come with him, but he’s not sure that he wants Damian to see his father again so suddenly. The older Batman must have put this together because he refrained from making any gesture to join him. He did give Dick a We-Will-Be-Talking-Soon-At-My-Convenience look.

God help him, he had missed that look.

“I’ll be coming by tomorrow,” Dick said pulling on his cowl and changing his expression to Batman grim.

“Will young Master Damian be coming with you?” Alfred asked with obvious motive.

“Maybe if he’s up to it,” Dick said shortly and turned to Tim, “I’ll see you out there Red Robin.”

Tim nodded in response and Dick took off toward his motorcycle. Once he was securely on his vehicle he looked back to see Alfred hand Bruce a bottle of water, never dropping his Batman persona. He turned away, revved up the engine, and zoomed away.

He grinned the entire way to the tower.

**Author's Note:**

> *From Superman/Batman #76


End file.
